Appalachian Mandolin and Dulcimer is the title of an upcoming CD from Sound Art Recordings, due for a September 27 release. The CD features 14 traditional mountain tunes performed in duet by mandolinist Butch Baldassari and dulcimer legend David Schnaufer. All 14 tracks were recorded live (in the studio) and arranged with an eye towards accentuating the beauty and simplicity of these ancient melodies.

No details yet on the Sound Art web site, though they should appear before long.

Also new from Sound Art is Mandolin Hymns, featuring Butch Baldassari performing mandolin arrangements of 15 traditional gospel favorites. Butch plays mandolin, mandola and octave mandolin and is joined by Aubrey Haynie and Andrea Zonn on fiddle, Robert Bowlin on guitar, Stuart Duncan on banjo, along with Dennis Crouch and Mike Bub on bass.